NTSB Factual Report

On March 23, 2003, about 1300 Alaska standard time, a tailwheel-equipped experimental homebuilt Hughes STOL King airplane, N1243W, sustained substantial damage when it landed hard following a loss of engine power on takeoff from the Seldovia Airport, Seldovia, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a local visual flight rules personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator on March 24, the pilot reported that after takeoff from runway 34, about 150 feet above the runway, the airplane's engine lost all power. He said that as the airplane neared the end of the runway, he pushed the nose down to land on the remaining runway, but the airplane was slow to flare due to the low airspeed, and landed hard, receiving substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.

The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) contacted the owner/builder of the accident airplane on March 26. The owner said he believed the loss of engine power may have been attributable to fuel starvation. He said the fuel system consists of 4 wing-mounted fuel tanks, and that due to the extreme angle the airplane sits at while resting on its landing gear, the fuel may have siphoned out of the two forward tanks into the rear tanks. He also said that all four tanks feed into a single fuel line, and that regardless of the siphoning, he thought the engine should still have had sufficient fuel in the rear tanks. He said he would provide additional information after a thorough inspection of the airplane. The IIC telephoned him again on May 3, but he was unavailable, and did not return the call.

The pilot of the airplane was contacted via telephone by the IIC on July 29. He related that he believes the loss of engine power was fuel related. He said that because of the type of venting of the fuel caps, when the airplane became airborne, the flow of air over the top of the wing, and the resultant negative pressure, would not allow the fuel to flow adequately to sustain engine power. He said that the siphoning of gas from the front tanks to the rear tanks probably added to the fuel flow issue. He also noted that carburetor icing conditions were prevalent that day, and although he used carburetor heat prior to departure, the formation of carburetor ice, combined with the reduced fuel flow, may have caused the loss of engine power.

Due to the remote location of the wreckage, the airplane was not inspected by NTSB or FAA personnel.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power during initial climb for an undetermined reason, which resulted in a hard landing.